Stories from Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Father and son give bikes to disadvantaged youth(12/19/12)Christmas is fast approaching but no lighted tree or other holiday decorations were in sight at Rick and Chris Sims' home near the Fulton and Baxter County line. But the front room shows the Sims' are more like elves than Scrooges. There are five brand new assembled bikes lined up near the fireplace, the father and son are assembling another one and three unopened bike boxes line the wall waiting for assembly...

Lower Jail Bids and Interest Rates Put New Jail on Track(12/19/12)There have been many frustrating, bad days for county officials, since voters authorized a spending plan allowing a new Fulton County Jail to be built. But, County Judge Charles Willett declared Thursday, Dec. 13 "a good day." On Dec. 13, construction bids were opened, a process that will soon lead to the hiring of a general contractor to build the jail...

Support for Angel Tree Families(12/19/12)Photos by Richard Irby On Thursday, Dec. 13, Department of Human Services employees helped unload a truck full of Christmas food boxes for Fulton County Angel Tree Families. The food will go along with gifts for needy children, which were purchased by local residents. 137 families qualified for Angel Tree assistance, and 215 "Angels" received toys, clothing, shoes and other gifts they requested...

Military vet and teacher arrested for bomb threat(12/19/12)Why did a Cherokee Village man make a bomb threat, which resulted in the evacuation and search of four area high schools? That, according to Fulton County Sheriff Buck Foley, is an unanswered question. William Adams, 66, has a long record of service to his country and communities where he has lived. "He has never been in trouble. He spent 21 years in the military, and 18 years as a school teacher," Foley said. The Sheriff did not know where Adams taught school...

Alton Queen and her court(12/19/12)Photo by Kim Bray Molly Steele was crowned Homecoming Queen during Alton High School Homecoming festivities on Friday, Dec. 14. Molly is the daughter of Joby and Brenda Steele, and was escorted by Channing Burd. Queen Candidates were Tiffany Holesapple, escorted by Frank Alford, Abby Holman, escorted by Quaid Turner, Megan Orr, escorted by Skyler Chronister.Junior attendants were Taylor AraSmith, escorted by Dusty Chester and Hannah Brewer, escorted by Wesley Carswell. ...

Couch Homecoming(12/19/12)Couch Homecoming
Couch High School held its 2012 Homecoming during the Friday, Dec. 14, home basketball game. Stephanie Parsons was crowned Homecoming Queen.

Popular Wirth light display traveled from Illinois(12/19/12)Harold Angotti and his late wife, Nola, started their large holiday lights display in Illinois. When the couple moved to Wirth, Ark. in 1994, they brought their Christmas lights tradition with them. For nearly 20 years, the Angotti home has attracted countless viewers out to their home in the country...

"Welcome to Thayer" may return(12/19/12)When the Thayer City Council met on Tuesday, Dec. 11, Chamber of Commerce Director Ron Cornelius was first on the agenda. Cornelius thanked the Thayer City Council and its Police Department for their help with the Christmas parade, which was a great success...

Oregon County Recorder Resigns(12/19/12)Oregon County Recorder April Bridges Blankenship recently resigned, indicating that she had moved out of the county. Oregon County Commissioners have appointed Chief Deputy Dawn Holman to serve as interium recorder, until Governor Nixon appoints a replacement...

Bomb threat turns out to be a hoax(12/19/12)Word of the terrible loss of innocent lives in Newtown, Conn. on Dec. 14, made many of us thankful a school safety scare on Dec. 11 was just that -- a scare. On Dec. 11, four high schools took no chances as law enforcement and other public servants responded to a call that there "was three bombs in the high school."...

NAEC crew makes a difference in post-storm NYC(12/19/12)Richard Irby Editor "The work was about the same (as here). The difference was, there was so much traffic and so many people everywhere we worked. You had to be careful. We're not used to working in busy areas. We're usually working out in the country."...

City votes to remove dilapidated house(12/19/12)A Cherokee Village house that suffered extensive fire damage in August will be razed and removed by the city, after the house's out-of-state owner failed to clean up the property despite multiple requests. The house is located at 99 Cochise Road in Cherokee Village...

Santa visits area nursing homes(12/19/12)Veterans at Eaglecrest, Ash Flat Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and the Spring River Therapy and Living Center in Salem got a special early visit from Santa on Dec. 17. Jack Lowe, President of the Cherokee Village Business Association and board member of the Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce served as Santa along with his elves from the Highland Elk's Lodge...

Highland's basketball woes continue(12/19/12)Early season woes continue for the Rebels and Lady Rebels, as both teams lost two conference games, apiece. The gentleman Rebels fell to the rival Redskins, 52-41, at Pocahontas on Monday, Dec. 10, and then to the Blazers, 72-35, at Valley View on Saturday, Dec. 15...

Lanny J. Williams(12/19/12)Lanny J. Williams, 70, passed away in his home on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012. He was surrounded with his family and friends. Lanny was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He retired as District Chief from the Des Moines Fire Dept. after 33 years of service, and moved to Arkansas in 1996. He was proceeded in death by his parents Lee and Maxine Williams...

Paul Kenneth Armistead, Jr.(12/19/12)Paul Kenneth Armistead, Jr., 78, of Cherokee Village, Ark., was born on May 21, 1934, in Phenix City, Ala., son of Paul Kenneth and Vivian (Vickery) Armistead. He passed away on Dec. 9, 2012, at Fulton County Hospital in Salem, Ark.. Paul was united in marriage to Nell Waugh on July 1, 1955, in Memphis, Tenn. ...

Death Notices for the week of Dec. 19, 2012(12/19/12)Betty Lou Chitwood Siefker, 80, died on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2012, at the Ash Flat Care Center. Arrangements by the Heath Funeral Home of Highland. Martha Roach, 65, of Salem, Ark., died on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012 at the Southfork River Therapy and Living Center in Salem, Ark. Arrangements by Barker Funeral Home of Salem, Ark...

I believe there are angels among us(12/19/12)I am always amazed that, even with the most evil incidents imaginable, there is still good in the world and, for me, last week, was proof of that struggle between good and evil. I am always amazed at how our lives can be put into perspective so quickly, and how angels present themselves at the most inopportune times. ...

Loose screws need attention(12/19/12)Sadness? Shock? Disbelief? Perhaps anger? Chances are many of us had a little of all of the above in us after word began to spread last Friday morning regarding the senseless shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. Twenty boys and girls, ages six and seven, were among the 26 killed in one of the most gut-wrenching crime scenes in U.S. history...

Readers speaks out about school shooting(12/19/12)Dear Editor, I was raised starting in the 40's. We didnšt have the problems of all these senseless killings back then. I was raised in a gun culture. Just about every boy that I knew had a cap pistol, or two. We played cops and robbers and cowboys and Indians. ...